


Walk Me Home

by AlphaStarr



Series: Trope Bingo Round 7 [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Community: trope_bingo, Dark Magic, F/F, FeMU!Rhajat, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation Spoilers, Happy Ending, Invisible Kingdom | Revelation Route, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 21:50:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8344126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaStarr/pseuds/AlphaStarr
Summary: "Um, hey... Rhajat, right?" Soleil sidled in, venturing a smile. "What's a pretty girl like you doing in a boring hospital wing like this?"
  "You'd know better than I would," she bit scathingly.
  "Haha, yeah... I guess I would," Soleil awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. "I, uh. Sorry about the Wyrmslayer, and stuff. Oh! On the plus side, though, Mitama said you won't even have a scar when it's done healing! I mean... unless you wanted a cool scar."
Rhajat/Soleil & Tharja/Olivia, Revelations divergence AU with a healthy dose of reincarnation. Because the existence of night necessitates a day.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Trope Bingo Round 7, "Rare Pair" (easy!) and "Happy Ending" (... not so easy). Also included are Canon Divergence AU and Reincarnation AU, which are not on my card but are tropes I am fond of nevertheless.
> 
> Please note FeMU/Hayato tag; Rhajat is FeMU's daughter in this fic. Other parentages left ambiguous, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I was thinking of rare pairs for all the other parents, too. ;0

Rhajat's world was one of eternal night-- and so it was odd to her, that day Soleil arrived.

She had long since willed away the suns of this Deeprealm, at least on the days where she cares to venture outside. A twelve-hour rainy day hex was all it took, and if those days happened to coincide with a season of drought, Rhajat called it a mere coincidence and cast twice as strong.

And when Soleil arrived, it was _literally, actually night_ in her Deeprealm. Rhajat never experimented with black magic when townspeople could get in the way, weaving her dark spells only long after the sun had set. She almost mistook Soleil for the dawn, the way her flashing blade cut down score after score of Faceless, glistening even in the moonless night. Her hair flew behind her like a war-banner. Like a ray of the sun.

Rhajat hissed and recoiled from that brightness. It killed her creations, and it would kill her, as well-- they were both born of the darkness.

Soleil didn't, though. Only cried out for her: "Don't worry, I'll save you!"

"Save me from what?" Rhajat scorned, and dark magic blazed around her fingertips.

"You've got to be stronger than this!" she plead, and cut down a Faceless before it even completely rose.

"You, stranger," Rhajat's eyes narrowed. Her pupils elongated into horrifying slits. "YOU are the one intruding!"

Her fingertips drew into claws, and when they cast, this time, even she was shocked to find that her hand had become a draconic claw. Like mother, she thought, and crowed to herself in pride. A roar emerged from her mouth instead.

"I guess there's no more reasoning with you," Soleil cringed, and swapped out her Silver Sword for a Wyrmslayer. "I didn't want to do this!"

* * *

Rhajat woke in her mother's castle, the one that lay in the pocket realm between worlds. Her clothes stuck to her skin, sweat-soaked. She glanced down at her hands, and wondered indeed if it was all a nightmare.

A small, sad noise. "Yes, Rhajat, I'm afraid you lost control... you turned into a dragon."

She licked her lips. Swallowed. Her mouth was dry, but not impossibly so, and she guessed she had been out for less than two days.

"Cousin Shigure," she said, and scowled.

"You must be thirsty," he offered, and held a glass of water out to her.

She glared at him, but drank. "You sent... that girl... to bother me in the middle of my studies. I'm waiting for an explanation."

"You shall have one," answered Shigure, and waited until her glass was empty before he spoke. "In truth... I suspected something of this sort would happen. You've always had a strong connection with your mother, after all... as strong as mine, with my own. Soleil was just supposed to deliver a Dragonstone to you. Something to help keep your draconic urges in control... I am sorry it didn't reach you in time."

"What did you say about my mother?" Rhajat's eyes narrowed. She clenched her fist, "Those Deeprealms... curse them. I knew I should have stayed by mother's side, I knew I shouldn't have let her go without me... who hurt her? They'll die the most miserable death I can contrive!"

"No," Shigure shook his head, looking very grave. "Your mother isn't hurt... but even death, perhaps, would be kinder than what _has_ happened to her."

"Don't mince words, Shigure," Rhajat hissed.

"She... went feral," Shigure admitted. "My own mother was there... the closer they drew to Anankos' chamber, the more anxious Kamui seemed. Mother said that she thought Aunt Kamui was just worried about the battle... but she was fighting her own blood the entire way in. Anankos took her over... she isn't herself anymore. An agent of the Silent Dragon--"

"No," Rhajat interrupted, as if saying those things made them more true. "Not mother. _Nobody's_ heart is as incorruptible as mother's! You _lie_ , Shigure."

"I wish I were," Shigure's expression crumpled. "... I don't know how to tell you the rest, Rhajat. Your father... is dead. And I am told it was your mother who killed him."

Rhajat stonily set her glass down on the nightstand. She would not honor that with a reply.

A tap upon the door. Soleil poked her head in, "Hey, Shigure. Your mom wants to see you... she wants to talk about. About the vigil tonight."

"I am sorry, Rhajat," and he clasped her shoulder, then stood. He nodded at Soleil, and walked out.

"Um, hey... Rhajat, right?" Soleil sidled in, venturing a smile. "What's a pretty girl like you doing in a boring hospital wing like this?"

"You'd know better than I would," she bit scathingly.

"Haha, yeah... I guess I would," Soleil awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. "I, uh. Sorry about the Wyrmslayer, and stuff. You lost it a little, back there... I guess I'm only lucky you turned back into a human when I put the Dragonstone on you! Because, you know... it's _way_ easier to carry a woman than a giant dragon. Oh! On the plus side, though, Mitama said you won't even have a scar when it's done healing! I mean... unless you wanted a cool scar."

Rhajat rolled her eyes, "It's simple enough to remove a scar if I didn't want it. Pfft... that's a beginner's hex."

"Really? Wow!" Soleil beamed. "That's so cool... I don't know much about magic, myself, except for this one trick dad learned from Uncle Odin. Though, uh, he's not really my uncle. Just one of dad's friends!"

"... I see," Rhajat scowled. Suddenly, abruptly-- "Do you always do that?"

"Huh? Do what?" Soleil turned her head to the side, perplexed.

"Talk," she answered shortly.

"Aw, crackers... you're probably tired from the dragon thing, right?" Soleil smacked her forehead. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking. I'll be quiet now."

"Good," Rhajat replied, and shifted in the hospital bed.

It would be a simple enough matter to get rid of this one, she thought, and simply lay still, in silence. Perhaps to the untrained eye, she might have appeared to be asleep, even. Rhajat waited for the sound of Soleil's retreating footsteps. And waited. And waited.

She turned over, and was met immediately with Soleil's face, unexpectedly close. She started, cutting off her shriek at the throat.

"What are you doing??" Rhajat demanded.

"Sorry, sorry," Soleil apologized, backing away. "I was only looking! It's just... you looked so cute when you were resting, and your hair... it seems so silky. You're just really pretty, you know?"

"Who knows? I _am_ my mother's daughter..." Rhajat paused. Tried to complete the thought, "My mother's daughter. And my mother was-- _is_ \-- the most beautiful woman in all the realms."

"You've got the same hair... it looks so soft and shiny," agreed Soleil. "I met her once, you know... when she welcomed me into the army a few weeks back. She gives great hugs, too!"

"Mother... hugged you?" Rhajat questioned, jealous.

"Well... yeah, but she hugs everyone," Soleil shrugged.  She winked, "Besides, if I had a daughter as cute as you, I'd save all the _best_ hugs for her, anyways!"

"Hee hee hee..." Rhajat giggled, cackling into her sleeves. "Your right... she always did."

"Ah! And there we have it... an elusive laugh!" Soleil beamed, and her entire face seemed to light up. "I didn't see it before, but now... you've got your mother's smile, too, don't you?"

"I don't smile," answered Rhajat, burying her mouth in her sleeve.

"I guess I must be imagining things, then," Soleil chuckled, and shook her head. She exhaled, and her smile seemed less genuine for a moment. "I guess I ought to go get ready for the vigil tonight... do you feel up to going?"

"Maybe," she glanced aside, wondered if her father was among those being mourned. "I... prefer to visit graveyards _after_ services. Less crowded."

"If you want company when you go, just ask," Soleil offered. More quietly, "My dad always _was_ a man for flowers. I have to make sure the ones on his... grave... are always fresh."

Rhajat pursed her lips, momentarily wordless. Then, "You seem strangely upbeat for someone whose father just died."

"He wouldn't have wanted me to be sad," Soleil grinned, even as tears began to bud her eyes. "After all... he always said I had a beautiful smile."

(He wasn't wrong, thought Rhajat, though she'd never been a fan of smiles herself.)

"I'm not big on... _company_ ," she tisked. "But if you happen to be there at the same time, I won't go through the trouble to kick you out."

"I can live with that," Soleil chuckled, and wiped her eyes with a sleeve. "I'll see you around, Rhajat... oh! And, uh, sorry again about the sword, and stuff."

"If you say so," Rhajat shook her head, but even as Soleil turned from her, she found herself... _charmed_... in spite of it all.

* * *

There was little time for such musings in the days to come, when Kamui's integration into Anankos' plot moved forth full-force. And though she preferred pessimism through and through, just once-- _just this once_ \-- Rhajat would have liked to have been wrong.

"Kana," she whispered, and in the same breath: "Brother."

A roar-- incomprehensible, even to Rhajat's draconic ear. Beneath his paw-- the remnants of what had once been Cousin Shigure and his steed. Rhajat roared back, her heart rent with the pain of this cruelest betrayal. Her brother, her own flesh and blood, had fallen at last to the dragon within. He had taken Shigure down with him.

A shrill whistle from across the field-- Prince Siegbert's signal. Then, Prince Shiro with a second, answering note.

"You heard the man," Shiro hollered, jerking his head. "Forces into retreat! Now!!"

Rhajat spat a Vallite soldier from her impressive maw, and walked among men once more. "What do you mean, _retreat_?"

"I hate it. I hate to retreat _five times more_ than anyone else here!" Shiro clenched his jaw. "But even _I_ have to agree... we won't survive if we stick around. _Retreat_ , Rhajat, that's an order."

She growled, and clenched the Dragonstone in her fist. Her mother's old armor suited her ill, she thought bitterly, and transformed. Gestured to her back.

"I hate it..." Shiro grit his teeth, but climbed aboard regardless. "Retreating... like cravens. Come on, we've gotta join up with Siegbert and the others."

Rhajat roared her hatred to the winds. She ran.

They made it to the rendezvous point with few issues, Shiro launching javelins at the Vallite pursuit, Rhajat's draconic stamina letting her run further, faster than she ever could upon human legs.

"Shiro!" Siegbert exclaimed, turning his horse before the portal to their castle base. "Team Siegfried's rear guard holds the line; Teams Brynhildr and Fujin are already through."

"This is the last of Team Rajinto," Shiro answered, as professionally as he could. He swallowed, "Kana... Shigure..."

"I see," replied Siegbert, quiet for a moment. "Shiro--"

"Let's go help Ignatius and Velouria. Your rear guard, right?" Shiro bit, far from in a mood to talk about it. He swung himself off of Rhajat's back. "Rhajat, we sustained heavy damages this battle... they'll need your expertise in herb lore at the castle."

"I'm not explaining it to your father if you don't come back," Rhajat warned, and slipped through the portal on human feet. 

She landed in the midst of the hospital wing, injuries seeming to flow in through the two portals from whence they had waged two separate battles.

"Rhajat! Thank goodness you're here," Caeldori's relief was writ across her face as she began to pile bandages into her arms-- the portal had opened close to their supplies shelf.

"What do you want from me?" Rhajat answered, her words harsh but genuine.

Her friend had long ago grown used to such a tone. "You remember how to use festals, right?"

"You don't just _forget_ how to use festals," Rhajat bit, reaching over and grabbing one from their nearest supply bin. She began to walk. "Who is it, and how bad is it?"

"Lord Xander," Caeldori bit her lip. "He's... gods. You can see straight through his bone, and he's bleeding so much. It'll take a _miracle_ , Rhajat."

"Miracles," she dismissed. "Happen to be my specialty."

And indeed-- though it had cost twelve hours, two staves, several charms, and one of Lord Xander's limbs, he had lived, and Rhajat could at last breathe once more. Nothing was left, afterwards, except for the most minor of injuries... and Rhajat found her next patient in Soleil, blood scabbing at her minor cuts and a scrape all along her left cheek, but more or less completely whole.

She smiled-- then winced as it pulled at her cheek injury.

"Wow... it's got to be my lucky day," Soleil beamed. "I get to be patched up by the _cutest_ healer on duty!"

"You're _unnaturally_ excited for someone who's injured," Rhajat scowled. Not wanting to waste festal charges, she set hers aside and began searching through a shelf of herbs.

"It isn't so bad... and like I said, I get to see you," Soleil answered. Momentarily quiet, "And... I'm grateful I wasn't hurt worse. I think the only other person you saw today was Lord Xander and I heard he had to get his _whole sword arm_ amputated."

"You heard wrong," Rhajat replied. She pulled a few springs of her selected herbs from the shelf.

"Lord Siegbert was carrying Siegfried when he came out from visiting his dad," Soleil furrowed her brow, perplexed. "He wouldn't just give up the sword for no reason..."

"I had to cut off his _non-dominant_ arm. At the elbow," Rhajat corrected. "It took a little blood magic to get the other wounds to close. It was practically severed already by the time I got there, so I did what I had to. Some have difficulty balancing afterwards... he won't be on his feet again for a while. Not in time for the next battle, if you're asking."

"You saved his life, though," Soleil scuffed her shoe against the floor. She smiled, "My dad would've been grateful, you know. He died fighting side-by-side with Lord Xander. So, since he can't be here to say it himself... thank you, Rhajat!"

"You're the only person I know who'd thank me for cutting off _someone else's_ arm," Rhajat snorted. "It was an... interesting project, at least. It's been a while since I've had to use the full scope of my magical education. But... don't go around expecting me to save everyone. Not like mother tried..."

Soleil bit her lip. "I... heard about Shigure, too, and Kana. I hope I've been misinformed about that, too."

"That depends," Rhajat sighed, and began to prepare a poultice.

"On what?"

"On what you were told."

"Then," Soleil ventured. "Ophelia told me Team Fujin saw it most clearly. One moment, Shigure was flying him into battle... getting into the position Lord Takumi suggested. And... in the next turn, Kana wasn't himself anymore. I heard that he moved with the enemy, and when Shigure was by himself, surrounded by so many foes..."

"Enough," Rhajat spat, and dropped her work. "You heard correctly... Shiro and I were meant to move into position next. Then, Asugi and Caeldori. But we called retreat instead."

"Percy and I were west vanguard, so we didn't see much," Soleil pulled her hair away from her face wound. "I got this one 'cause I was so surprised to hear the retreat signal! For a little guy, he sure is strong."

Rhajat pursed her lips. "So was Kana... so was my mother. The strong fall sometimes."

"That's true, maybe... but for now, I'm just grateful you're okay," Soleil tried a smile. "You're pretty strong, too, you know!"

"Thanks... I guess," Rhajat huffed and tried not to flush. Vengefully, she slathered the poultice over Soleil's injury without warning.

"Ow, that stings!" she grimaced, but held still. Laughing a bit, "I guess that means you care about me at least a little, huh?"

"Foolish girl... what gave you _that_ idea?" Rhajat scowled.

"The more it stings, the cleaner the wound gets. Lord Forrest told me that," Soleil shrugged. "Which means you're doing a really good job of cleaning that scrape!"

"I can't stand weaklings' medicine," Rhajat daubed more intently. "That's it. Nothing else."

Laughter rent the air again, and it was maddeningly, infuriatingly... _sunny_. Rhajat was unsure what she hated more: the lightness of Soleil's laugh, or the fact that she was beginning to _like_ it.

* * *

The final battle against Anankos had been a grueling ordeal when it at last came.

The greatest tacticians of Nohr and Hoshido and Valla alike gathered day and night-- Leo hunched over a map at the crack of dawn, Takumi scrawling out battle formations late into the night, Azura sending scouting mission after scouting mission into ruins where her mother might have hidden some Vallite strategy tome.

Many among them were lost to that end, the sounds of the survivors haunting the fort. Asugi's howl of fury, cursing his father out for daring to die before he even told him his decision on taking the family name. Nina's agonizing weeks of silence, her only noise the thud of arrow-to-target as she practiced, unused to her father's bow. Odin's weeping when Selena fell, for he was the last of these oldest, dearest friends who stood alive. Azura's song of vigil that seemed to be heard at all hours of the day.

And when that bleakest battle at last came, Anankos' army stood nearly thrice as large as the allied nations', lead by a triumvirate of dragons to merely _one_ who had retained rationality.

There stood Rhajat's brother, whose draconic voice spoke sense no longer. Rhajat's mother, whose loving eyes had gone blank and vicious in her wilderness. _And Anankos, who stole them_ , Rhajat thought grimly, and took up her mother's abandoned Yato with vengeance, pure vengeance in her heart.

Her rage was dense, palpable, but calculated. In her fury, she would be unable to feel pain any longer, would be able to fight harder and better than she ever had before. She was counting on it, and then--

Victory, when she at last struck true.

"We have to stop meeting like this, you know," Soleil whispered that eve when she awoke. The bustle of the hospital wing hung in the background.

Rhajat had no recollection of even falling unconscious. She tested her mouth for dryness. Tasted blood.

"Mother," she rasped, voice softer than she cared for. "Kana..."

"They're... they're gone. But they're free, now," Soleil managed a smile. "Azura said so... she said that her song freed them from this world, and that... wherever they are, they're free from Anankos' control."

"Good," Rhajat breathed, and let her body go limp.

"You were brave, you know. You were so brave, and so cool," Soleil pressed her lips together. Her eyes watered. "You really beat him for good. Shigure would've been so proud."

"I never cared for _bravery_ ," Rhajat scoffed. Blood leaked from her lips. "I did it for revenge. Nobody... nobody hurts my family... and gets away with it."

"You're still hurt... the staves must've missed something," Soleil bit her lip and made to stand. "I'll go get Lady Elise!"

"Don't bother," Rhajat spat blood before she could choke on it. "I wasn't expecting to wake up... this is more than I asked for. I must be better than I thought."

"What do you mean?" Soleil's smile faltered. "You just need a healer..."

"Foolish girl," Rhajat snorted. "All the healing in the world can't help me now. I made a fair exchange for the strength to kill a god..."

"Blood magic," Soleil shook. "Why? You were so strong... you didn't need to!"

"And sacrifice who else?" Rhajat sighed. "My life was mine to give. If you wanted to volunteer, you should've told me before."

"I guess I missed my chance," Soleil chuckled regretfully. "Can I. Can I do something?"

"What... like to change my fate?" Rhajat's eyes fluttered shut.

" _Anything_ ," she offered, earnest. "Anything you want, Rhajat..."

"They say true love's kiss can break some spells," Rhajat chuckled darkly, teasingly. "Try if you want. I won't stop you."

"Okay," answered Soleil, and leaned to kiss that mouth, red with blood.

She had kissed and been kissed many times before, but there, in the wake of that war, she kissed more warmly, more deeply than ever. She kissed, hard and tender at once, trying to pull Rhajat's life back into her with soft, soft passion, with all of her heart.

A smile passed those lips, in those moments, and Soleil knew without seeing it how beautiful a smile could be. A moment, of hope, precious hope-- and then, they went slack against her own, parting with an exhale. No further breath came.

Rhajat, at last, fell into that eternal night, nevermore to emerge. Soleil wept.

* * *

**But, many years away,**

* * *

There was something about Olivia, Tharja thought, something about her that sparked a note in her memory.

She had felt something similar about Robin, though it was a far more obvious, more familiar feeling. Almost certainly, there was some sort of blood between them, a lifetime's worth of blood, enough blood that they could nearly be one and the same. _A covenant of the womb, like mother and daughter_ , Tharja found herself thinking-- which was ridiculous, she asserted, for she and Robin were far, far too close in age to be parent and child. Perhaps they'd been the same soul in another life, Tharja settled, and knew not how close to truth she had come.

But Olivia-- sweet, shy, _unerringly earnest_  Olivia-- there was a woman who made Tharja purse her lips. The tang of blood would touch her mouth like a memory, then, and she would wonder. Surely that quailing dancer knew little of war, perhaps even _nothing_ of war. And yet, too-- Tharja's skin would itch, as if sliced by the serrated edge of a Wyrmslayer. Discomfort settled into her bones like lead.

Tharja's world was one of eternal night, having long since called away the stormclouds to do her bidding. They seemed to hover above her, like an omen, even on days where the sun shone bright. Too bright, in Tharja's opinion, for she had always, always resented it, her reasons unknown even to herself.

But there was something about her, Tharja thought, Olivia's light and lightness of foot claiming the sight before her. Gossamer cloth fell over her skin. Her every inhale was like a dance.

"You're blocking the dark," Tharja frowned.

"Oh! Sorry, Tharja..." Olivia curled in on herself in an effort to seem smaller. _She could conceal the lithe length of her limb_   _no more than she could have vanished altogether_ , Tharja thought.

"Did you want something?" she asked, terse. Somewhat sardonically, "A future told? A scar removed? I specialize in miracles."

"Um, no... nothing like that. I mean! Not that I doubt you could do it, but," Olivia fumbled. "What's a woman as pretty as you are doing here in the medical tent...? It's just that I was wondering... it's a festival day today, and I'm sure a lot of people have asked you to go to the festival with them!"

"And here I thought you were going to ask me something hard," she snorted. "I don't overvalue that _companionship_ thing others seem to enjoy. I'll be content if I can work on my spells in peace. Maybe spend an hour or two with Robin afterwards..."

"O-oh... I see," Olivia fidgeted.

It was disgusting how easily her disappointment showed. Disgustingly _cute_ , Tharja couldn't prevent herself from thinking.

"I could ask you the same," Tharja's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I, um, came to find you, actually," Olivia ventured a smile. "I heard you were looking for some potion things, and Stahl was talking about this apothecary's stand that's in town only for today, so I thought you'd like to know in case they were selling something you wanted. Oh! Um... if you didn't want to go, though, you could write me a list and I'll do my best to bring something back..."

Tharja felt the memory of blood come to her lips again. Perhaps, yes, perhaps there was something she could try.

"Not that I don't appreciate the offer... but I wouldn't expect a _dancer_ to recognize a mage's potion ingredients," she sighed and stood, yanking a list from the counter. "Here. Take that. Those are the _mundane_ herbs we're running low on. Even you should be able to find those."

"You were... checking our inventory?" Olivia fumbled briefly, but managed to tuck the list safely away.

"Someone had to do it. Don't sound so surprised," Tharja crossed her arms.

"No! I mean, thank you," Olivia brightened. "I'm really grateful you've been helping us all like this..."

Tharja flushed, "I don't _help people_. I work with the herbs there, too."

"I guess I must be imagining things, then," Olivia carefully hid her grin behind a sleeve.

"Seeing things? If you are, you'll get lost if you walk back without me," Tharja tisked. "I've been accused of enough missing persons without adding _you_ to the list."

Olivia turned her head slightly, quizzically. Her expression seemed to strike a chord of familiarity to Tharja, then, and a thought: _just like the sun_.

"Maybe, then, if you don't mind," she smiled, "You could walk me home?"

"If you want to follow me back," Tharja paused. Decided, "I won't stop you."

She stepped out, and when Olivia's hand brushed hers by-- Rhajat began to remember Soleil.


End file.
